Bio

Rukus From Da WyldKingdom™ is an artist and music producer who had his first independent record deal when he was only 15 years of age. Upon migrating from the east to the west coast he met Derrick Perkins who at the time was the sound designer for delicious vinyl records, and is where RuKus met Orlando Cruz of Brass Records who was also working for delicious vinyl at the time they had the brand new heavies, masta ace, and the pharcyde. RuKus was asked to do a 30 second vocal commercial for a radio drop that ended up being loved by Orlando, and was then asked to join the Brass Records family. From there RuKus was introduced to, and got beats to rap on from both the Baka Boys of Power 106 in Los Angeles, and the Dust Brothers who have produced artists such as The Beastie Boys and Tone Loc. After an attempt and failed project with Mariah Careys brother Morgan Carey to put together a young black & white mixed rap group for her, RuKus moved to North Hollywood California with movie sound effects editor Ricardo Broadus and ended up meeting, and working with The Gap bands children Brian and Andre Wilson. This meeting of the minds allowed RuKus the opportunity to produce for one of Tai Pei Chinas biggest recording artists, and was where he made his first real check as a music producer. From there RuKus went on to work with Stevie Wonders bass player Nathan Watts, and was once told by Stevie that if the music does not touch the soul dont even make it. That advice was a major determining factor in the style that RuKus brings across in his music to this very day. The big Northridge earthquake hit California, and RuKus found himself being homeless, but through the grace of god, and a good friend he met movie star Terrence Howard who at the time was also an up and coming talent. He believed in RuKus's talent musically, and allowed RuKus to move in with him hence buying RuKus his first pieces of professional music equipment to make beats, and it is infact Terrence Howard singing on RuKus's single out right now entitled Majestik. RuKus, and Terrence stayed very close friends for nearly a decade after that. Eventually RuKus met OZ Saturne at a night club who asked if there were any artists in need of management, and at that time RuKus did so he decided to take on Oz as his manager. Oz at the time was Omarion from B2K's mothers fiance, and through the years RuKus networked, and met Doc Clarke of 221 Entertainment who manages the R&B super group TROOP nowadays. Doc introduced RuKus to David Esterson of Monopoly Music, and this is when RuKus's production career took off in regards to getting paid good money for music production. Growing career wise with the help of a song produced for an artist that went to number one in Las Vegas, and got that artist a deal with Universal MCA, RuKus was allowed to be in his first music video that appeared on the video jukebox, and other popular music video programs. It also got RuKus write ups in magazines such as Billboard Magazine, etc. and is around the time that Oz asked RuKus to produce Omarion who at the time wanted to be a rapper. Omari was around 8 or 9 years old then when RuKus started writing raps, and producing hiphop beats for him. RuKus claimed him as a Wyldking, and named him Omarion. Not only did RuKus give Omari the stage name Omarion, but RuKus is also responsible for writing the rap that got Omarion noticed by world famous music producer and creator of B2K "Chris Stokes," by whom is responsible for the launch of Omarions career. In 1996 RuKus decided to put together his first compilation album, and ran into a Brooklyn New York native named Mr. Moody. Moody came to the studio, and put the fire under RuKus's feet performance wise. The goal for RuKus was to be a producer only but limited on m.c.'s he decided to rhyme on the material also as an extra added voice. To make a long story short, competing with Mr. Moody on who could nail verses on one take brought forth an entire album in 14 days that actually finished being mixed the night that RuKus's good friend Tupac Shakur was shot in las vegas. After Loud Records pursued RuKus's crew Da WyldKingdom, as well as Paul Stewart from PMP Records, and several other labels, the demo was put into the hands of Pete Manriquez who was program director for power 106 then, and it was Pete that put the demo into the hands of Left Bank Management who loved it. Pete eventually hooked up with Grammy award winning rap artist Coolio who wanted RuKus to appear on his compilation album, and RuKus's talent helped Coolio get a distribution deal through Left Bank Records/BMG because Anthony Alezando of Left Bank loved RuKus's sound so much. This allowed Rukus the opportunity to have material out globally, as well as to perform for the heads of BMG Records in San Diego. Infact, the night of the show the president of BMG Records asked to meet RuKus in person congratulating him on a job well done assuring RuKus that he'd be going on tour with Coolio but due to an automobile accident on the first stretch of the tour Coolio's Record label ended up being sued by one of its groups, and it brought the label down. Being in the industry for such a long period of time made RuKus want to start his own record label by which he decided to take a break, and learn the ropes of starting such an endeavor, as well as to have a family, and learn other things such as business, web design, video editing, and real estate investing, etc. Currently Rukus is in the process of taking his music all the way to the top after a 5 year break with greater investing knowledge, and skills that will be handy now, and in the future. 2007-2008 will be the year of Da WyldKingz so everybody across the globe "Get Ready" because Da Kingdom is coming.